YEAR OF THE RABBIT

I’ve been somewhat MIA since the end of July because my days have been consumed by rehearsals for a play that’s finally opening tomorrow. The official description:

Ensemble Studio Theatre/Los Angeles presents the world premiere of Year of the Rabbit by Keliher Walsh, named the inaugural winner of the biennial Kentucky Women Writers Conference Prize for Women Playwrights by a panel of judges that included OBIE award-winning playwright Naomi Wallace.

This haunting and deeply moving play, directed by James Eckhouse (Beverly Hills 90210), intertwines the war in Vietnam and the present day conflict in Afghanistan to illuminate the devastating consequences of war across generations and ethnicities.

I play Lieu, a shaman-like Vietnamese woman who’s both the storyteller, a la Joel Grey in Cabaret without the singing, and…well, I control the universe. I’m getting quite drunk on power, actually.

The cast includes Meshach Taylor (Designing Women), Ashanti Brown, Will McFadden, Peter Mackenzie (Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apt. 23), and Keliher Walsh. All are fabulous people. The show is produced by Gates McFadden and Laura Hill. For more on its genesis and what it’s about, read this L.A. Stage Times interview with James and Keliher.

We run until Oct. 28 at EST/LA in Atwater Village. To buy tickets, go here. Would love to see you there, if you can make it!

Thank you so much, everyone. Last night we had our first preview audience. Half hour before the show, I checked in here and on FB, and your good wishes gave me an extra infusion of energy that I took with me into the performance. It was a kick. I’m grateful to you all, my wonderful friends.